Circular knitting machines



0% ,19 J. c. DOUGHTY V I 3,531,951

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 17. 1966 1e Sheets-Sheet 1 J. C. DOUGHTY CIRCULAR KNITTING TMACHINES Oct. 6, 1970 v Y 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 17. 1966 Oct. 6, 1970 J.-C. DOUGHTY I 3,531,951

. CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 17. 1966 v 1s sheets-s eet 3 Oct. 6, 1970 J. c. DOUGHTY v I CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 17, I966 l6 Sheets-Sheet 7 Oct. 6, 1970 J. c. DOUGHTY 3,531,951

I CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 17, 1966 16 Sheets-She et a Oct. 6, 1970 Filed 001;. 17. 1966 a 124 1, Ill

J. C. DOUGHTY CIRCULAR KNITTING .MACHINES HHS 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 Oct. 6, 1970 J. c. DOUGHTY CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES l6 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Oct. 17, 1966 Oct. 6, 1970 J. c, DOUGHTY I 3,531,951

CIRCULAR KNITTINGMACHINES Filed Oct. 17. 1966 16 Sheets-Sheet l1 Oct. 6, 1970 J- C. DOUGHTY CIRCULAR I'KNIITING MACHINES Filed Oct. 17, 1966 16 Sheets-Sheet 12 Oct. 6, 1970 J. c. DOUGHTY CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES l6 Sheets-Sheet 13 Filed Oct. 17, 1966 Oct. 6, 1970 J. c. DOUGHTY CIRCULAR KNITTINGQMACHINES i 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed Oct. 17, 1966 Oct. 6, 1970 J. c. DOUGHTY CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES 16 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed Oct. 17, 1966 Oct. 6, 1970 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ES Fi .19. afaf "1 A- g I a K33 United States Patent 3,531,951 CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES John C. Doughty, 3 Darker St., Leicester, England Filed Oct. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 587,174 5 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Oct. 18, 1965,

Int. Cl. D04b 9/00 US. Cl. 66-13 12 Claims This invention relates to circular weft knitting machines, and has reference both to such machines of the kind having only one needle bed in the form of a cylinder, and also to such machines of the kind having two opposed needle beds, e.g. either in the form of a cylinder and a dial or two cylinders each with its own set of needles, or in the form of two superimposed cyl-' inders equipped with a single set of double-ended needles transferable from one cylinder to the other, and vice versa.

This invention is also applicable to circular weft knitting machines with contra-rotating cams and circular machines which operate on contra-directional knitting principles, with oscillatable yarn feeds to produce selvedged fabric.

Thus, so far as a circular knitting machine having two needle beds is concerned, this is capable of producing fabric having areas of double fabric (knitted on needles in both beds) interspersed with areas of single fabric (knitted on needles in one bed only). Moreover, a superimposed needle cylinder machine equipped with doubleended needles is a purl knitting machine capable of producing rib or/and purl knitted fabric ornamented if desired, by various link-links or jacquard patterning effects.

The invention is also advantageously applicable to knitting machines of the cylinder and dial type which may be equipped with stitch transfer means of any appropriate character for effecting transference of stitches or loops from needles in one bed, e.g. the cylinder, to needles in the opposed bed, and vice versa.

The object of the present invention is to provide improvements in circular weft knitting machines designed to increase the capability of the machines thus enabling them to produce many novel forms of circularly knitted fabrics, as will be hereinafter described, having integrally knitted sections constituting strips, margins, selvedges, or appendages each comprising wales of needle loops which can extend at least in part obliquely, i.e. transversely, with respect to the remaining needle wales of the fabric. Such sections may each have throughout their longitudinal extent parallel wales of needle loops, although there is no limitation in this respect.

According to the present invention there is provided a circular weft knitting machine comprising at least one main needle bed provided with tricks, principal needles which have butts and are slidable in said tricks, at least one yarn feeder to feed yarn to said needles and at least one cam system between which and said needles there is relative lateral movement, and wherein the cam system 6 acts upon the butts of the needles. Additional needles are provided, having butts, and at least two tricked needle blocks which are adjacent to but separate and distinct from the main bed. At least one of the additional needles is slidable in a trick of each needle block. Auxiliary cams are provided between which and the additional needlesv there is relative lateral movement, and the auxliary cams. act upon the butts of the additional needles. A control mechanism provides independent lateral movement in ei ther circumferential direction relative to the main bed of one at least of the needle blocks so as to enable such controlled auxiliary needles in co-operation with prin- Patented Oct. 6, 1970 cipal needles to produce in or on circularly knitted fabric integrally knitted contoured strips margins or selvedges.

Preferably, the machine is provided with two or more needle blocks each having any appropriate number, e.g. a small or large number, of additional needles arranged to operate therein.

The idea of the invention is that the sections constituting integrally-constructed knitted margins, and/or penultimate margins, and/or internal sections of fabric, or appendages of fabric (which ever are to be produced) are knitted either solely on groups of needles associated respectively with, but separate and distinct from, the main set or sets of needles of the machine, or in association with the main set or one or each of the main sets of needles, which latter needles remain at all times the means of producing the main portion of the fabric.

Each needle block, formed with tricks or grooves for the relevant group of additional needles, is disposed at a radial angle with respect to the stitch forming point differing from the angle or angles assumed by the conventional bed or beds.

The needle blocks can be mounted at any suitable angle, e.g. horizontal or inclined above or below the horizontal and within or outside the needle cylinder (s). Thus, relative lateral shogging movement is permitted between each needle block and the said conventional bed or beds. That is to say, the needle blocks are incrementally movable under control, towards and away from another depending on the positioning of and the contours to be assumed by the integral strips, margins, selvedges, sections or appendages to be produced.

A preferred feature of the invention, as regards the manner of operation of the improved circular Weft knitting machines, resides in retaining if required a full complement of loops on the additional needles operating in the or each needle block in commission, throughout the knitting procedure. In this way, none of a group of additional needles loses any stitches during rotational knitting of the fabric and as a consequence the comparatively narrow strip, margin, selvedge, section or appendage produced in or on such fabric has throughout its length a full complement of parallel wales of needle loops. The precise contours (angularities with respect to the remaining needle wales) assumed by the inserted or superimposed strips or sections, or the knitted on margins, selvedges or appendages, as the case may be, will depend on the frequency, extents and directions of the incremental Shogging movements imparted to the needle blocks.

To facilitate control of the lateral (circumferential) shogging movements of the separate needle blocks, the conventional needle bed or beds in the improved circular weft knitting machine are preferably stationary, in which instance a carrier or bearer for concentric control ringse.g., one to each needle blockmay conveniently be fixed the needle cylinder or to the bottom needle cylinder, as the case may be. In this preferred case, the needle blocks themselves may be supported from or at least steadied by this control ring carrier or bearer, and an annular component or components fitted with cams for acting on butts 0 on, and so operating, the additional needles working in the separate needle blocks is or are rigidly secured to parts revolving together with a cam box surrounding the aforesaid needle cylinder. Moreover, in a machine of this preferred form all cams for operating principal needles revolve together with patterning drums, yarn feeding and changing, e.g. striper mechanisms, and so on.

It is, however, to be clearly understood that a circular weft knitting machine constructed in accordance with this invention may alternatively have a revolving main needle bed or beds and a stationary cam system or systems in which case the separate needle blocks as hereinbefore 3 defined, the associated concentric control rings and the carrier or bearer therefor would all revolve together with said main bed or beds.

In any event, the concentric control rings may be channelled, the channel in each such ring acting as a register into which is fitted and secured an appropriately arcuately curved locator segment provided on the corresponding needle block. These control rings are adapted to be turned selectively to shog the corresponding needle block at the dictates of control mechanism of any appropriate character-which mechanism may, in turn and if necessary or desirable, be subject to a main or overriding control. Control rings may be turnable incrementally in either direction relatively to the conventional needle bed or beds, e.g. in steps each equivalent to the pitch of the needle tricks or grooves. According to one specific constructional arrangement, quoted merely by way of example, a portion of the channel in each control ring remote from the corresponding needle block may have secured therein a length of toothed rack, and arranged in mesh with each such rack, there may be provided a toothed pinion secured upon an individual rotary shaft, these shafts being grouped as near as possible to the main control station of the machine and being rotatable under control through the medium of gearing. The said shafts must also be clear both of the main drives for the revolving components of the machine and also of the arcuate paths traversed by the needle blocks.

Flanges of the control ring carrier or bearer may advantageously be gapped at convenient locations clear of the said arcuate needle block paths to enable needle blocks both to be removed from, and also to be placed into required positions in, the machine.

The control ring carrier or bearer, the needle blocks, and the annular component or components fitted with the cams for operating the additional needles operating in these blocks may all be arranged either on the outside of or actually within the needle cylinder, or the bottom needle cylinder, as the case may be.

In certain cases, each separate needle block has associated with it an auxiliary feeder by means of which a suitable separate yarn or thread is fed to the additional needles operating in that block.

To and fro, i.e. forward and reverse, knitting, akin to knitting on a flat machine, required to be carried out on the additional needles operating in each needle block at such times as a contoured parallel wale appendage is being produced. To enable such knitting to be carried out simultaneously with production of circularly knitted main fabric (by continuous rotation of the machine), means must be provided to cause the group of additional needles in the block to knit twice, i.e. first in one direction and then in the opposite direction, at each circumferential passage of the relevant knitting cams in the needle block cam box over the said additional needles. Such means could be constituted by a cam system oscillating to and fro across the auxiliary needle butts or contra-rotating cam systems causing in one direction knitting and nonknitting in the other direction, or knitting in both direc tions as required. Alternatively, the additional needles can be motivated from a remote position, e.g. hydraulically. Preferably, such means are constituted by a so-called reverse repeater mechanism which may be either mechanically or hydraulically operable, and causes the additional needles to knit successively in opposite directions at each circumferential passage of the knitting cams in the needle block cam box relative to the needle block.

To enable the first few additional needles of each group to take the main yarn into their hooks one method is to make these needles longer in extent from operating butt to hook and the portion of the verge of the needle block corresponding to the said needles is made to project further forward or alternatively, a picker, a toothed feed wheel or other means, is introduced which is operable to carry the auxiliary yarn or thread over two or more cylinder needles.

The preferred method, however, utilizes equal length needles and a straight or curved verge and the use of long butts which enable certain additional needles to be carnmed further out of their tricks than the remainder.

But there are several alternative methods of using the main and auxiliary yarns to effect the juncture. For instance, by the use of two main yarns the main yarn can be diverted to knit the appendage and the second main yarn to take over the main knitting duty in alternating sequence. Similarly in all cases where a section of fabric knitted by auxiliary needles is separate from the main sheet of fabric but interknitted with it at one or more points a similar variety of methods of yarn feed is possible including the use of pickers to pull a yarn feeding a group of main needles into the hooks of auxiliary needles and vice versa. In any event, the number of needles knitting the juncture of an appendage and the number of needles knitting the flap may each be as small as a single needle or may be many needles or the juncture may be knitted by few needles and the flap by many needles or vice versa.

Although, in some cases the auxiliary needles are preferably of compound type, where there is sufficient space the needles may be of latch type or any other type.

-In any event, the auxiliary needles may be capable of transferring stitches to adjacent main machine needles and vice versa. The auxiliary needles can be controlled to withdraw to out of action positions or can be individually put into action to tuck or to knit by conventional types of control mechanism.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, specific constructional examples of knitting machines and knitted constructions which can be produced thereon will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings. In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the superimposed needle cylinders of a circular purl knitting machine having cam boxes rotatable relatively to the stationary needle cylinders and needle blocks disposed within the lower cylinder.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a needle cylinder and dial knitting machine having cam systems rotatable relatively to the stationary cylinder and dial and needle blocks disposed outside the cylinder.

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view showing one of the needle blocks and the needle block bearers.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a nonstitch transfer needle cylinder and dial knitting machine having cam systems rotatable relatively to the stationary cylinder and dial and needle blocks disposed within the cylinder.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a stitch transfer needle cylinder and dial knitting machine equipped with two sets of needle blocks outside the needle cylinder, the needle blocks of each set being movable into the paths of the other sets and being alternatively engageable with two sets of bearers so that the needle blocks of one set can pass over the needle blocks of the other set and having cam boxes rotatable relatively to the stationary needle cylinder and dial and the needel blocks.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross sectional view of a needle cylinder and dial machine having needle blocks located within the cylinder and repeater blocks having elements linked with the auxiliary needles in the needle blocks whereby the latter can knit appendages, and cam systems are rotatable relatively to the cylinder and dial and the needle blocks and repeater blocks.

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic internal elevation of portions of the bearers for the needle and repeater blocks and showing one needle block and one repeater block.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic internal elevation of a needle block, the associated repeater block and the connections between the needles and elements of the latter.

FIG. 9 is an end elevation of the repeater block shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. is an end elevation of the needle block shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the cam system in the machine shown in FIG. 8 successively actuates the needles of a needle block and the auxiliary elements of the associated repeater block.

FIG. 12 is a sectional end elevation of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a facial view of a portion of fabric which can be knitted upon the machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 14 is a facial view of a portion of fabric which can be knitted upon the machine shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. is a facial view of a portion of fabric which can be knitted upon the machine shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 16 is a facial view of a portion of fabric which can be knitted upon the machine shown in FIGS. 2-5.

FIG. 17 is a facial view of a portion of fabric having an integrally knitted appendage and which can be knitted upon the machine shown in FIGS. 6-12..

FIG. 18 is a detail view of the fabric shown in FIG. 13, illustrating the loop structure.

FIG. 19 is a detail view of the fabric shown in FIG. 15 illustrating the loop structure.

FIG. is a detail view of the fabric shown in FIG. 17 illustrating the loop structure.

Referring firstly to FIG. 1, the machine comprises two superimposed stationary needle cylinders 1 and 2 equipped with a full complement of needles 3, which are either double ended latch needles as illustrated or each having a hook at each end and a latch at one end only, and sur rounded by revolvable top and bottom cam boxes 4 and 5. These parts of the machine all function in conventional fashion.

In accordance with the invention four needle blocks, one of which is shown at 6, are disposed within the lower cylinder 2 upon an annular bearer 7 concentric with the cylinder. The needle blocks 6 upon the bearer 7 are inclined at a relatively steep angle within the said bottom cylinder. The needle blocks 6 are tricked to receive a small number of additional needles 8 which can cooperate with the lower ends of needles 3 in the upper cylinder. The inner and outer circumferential edge portions at the top and bottom of the bearer 7 are formed with flanges 7a for engagement in grooves formed 1n the needle blocks which are slidable upon the bearer relatively to the cylinder 2.

Each of the additional needles 8 in the needle blocks are of compound form comprising a main part 9 having an operating butt 9a and a relatively slidable non-swlnging element 10 having an operating but 10a and suitably movable to open and close the hook of the needle at relevant times during the operating cycle.

One or more cam boxes 11 having cams for acting upon the butts 9a and 10a of the additional needles is rotatable in timed relation with the main cam boxes 4, 5. The auxiliary cam boxes 11 are fixed to a common carrier ring 12 which is rotatable within the lower end of the bottom cylinder and is provided with gear teeth 12a arranged to mesh with a toothed pinion (not shown) upon a drive shaft. The ring 12 is rotatable in bearer 13 secured within cylinder 2.

In order to move the needle blocks 6 angularly relatively to the cylinders the inner face of the bearer is formed with annular grooves accommodating concentric control rings 14, to respective ones of which the needle blocks are keyed as at 15. There is a separate control ring to each needle block. The control rings 14 are slidable within the grooves independently of one another. Thus vertical control shafts and gears (not shown) are located within the bearer 7 and are rotated from the main control position of the machine in timed relation with the operation of the machine and which can impart through toothed racks and locators, not shown, on each control ring angular movements whereby the relevant needle block 6 is moved relatively to the tricks of the needle cylinders 1, 2.

The auxiliary needles 8 in each of the needle blocks co-operate with needles 3 in the upper cylinder and thus form parallel wale stitches on the front face of the knitted fabric in positions determined by the angular positions of the needle blocks relatively to the cylinders. By moving the needle blocks angularly relatively to the needle cylinders during the knitting the parallel wales can extend at an angle to the needle wales of the main bed fabric.

The auxiliary needles 8 are of compound form and are not furnished with swinging latches because these would prevent the needle block verges lying sufficiently close to the verge of the cylinder 2. Moreover, the provision of latches on the needles 8 would necessitate long forward and upward thrusts of the needles to clear knitted loops from their latches. Moreover,'the provision of compound auxiliary needles simplifies the feed and latch guard arrangements on this purl machine. It is, however, within the scope of the invention to employ additional needles with swinging latches by suitable modification of the verge.

Because the needle blocks are in this example accommodated within the lower needle cylinder 2 they are preferably covered and encased in an inwardly curved casing (not shown) providing a smooth outer surface over which the downwardly moving fabric as produced can pass without fouling the internal mechanism.

The heads of the additional needles 8 would, however, project up beyond the upper margin of this casing.

In a more sophisticated version of the machine of this example, there could be needle blocks, carrying additional needles, outside as well as inside the needle cylinder.

Referring now to the machine shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, this comprises a stationary needle cylinder 16 equipped with a full complement of needles 17 having operating butts 17a and a stationary dial 18 equipped with a full complement of needles 19, having operating butts 19a. Cylinder cam box 20 and dial cam plate 21 are revolvable together relatively to the cylinder and dial and the machine is equipped with stitch transfer mechanism (not shown).'By means of the latter, which includes stitch transfer elements or/and stitch transfer needles of any appropriate conventional character, stitches can be transferred from the cylinder needles to the dial needles and vice versa, depending on knitting requirements. These parts of the machine all function in conventional fashion.

In accordance with the invention four needle blocks, one of which is indicated at 22, are provided around the needle cylinder 16. The needle blocks 22 are mounted upon an annular bearer 23 which is rigidly mounted upon the cylinder 16. The inner and outer circumferential edge portions at the top and bottom of the bearer 23 are flanged at 23a for engagement in grooves formed in the needle blocks, which are slidable upon the bearer relatively to the cylinder. The needle blocks are tricked to receive a small number of additional needles 28 which have operating butts 28a and can co-operate with the dial needles 19.

An auxiliary cam box or boxes 24 is supported upon a ring 25 mounted concentric with the cylinder 16 upon a ring 26 which is supported for relative angular turning upon a plate 27 secured by screws to the cylinder 16. Thus, the cam box(es) 24 is arranged to revolve with the cylinder cam box and the dial cam plate. The needle blocks 22 and the auxiliary cam box(es) are all downwardly inclined with respect to the needle dial. The cylinder and dial needles in this example may be of the conventional latch type whereas the additional needles 28 carried by the needle blocks 22 may be either of latch or of compound type.

In order to move the needle blocks 22 angularly relatively to the cylinder and dial the outer face of the bearer 23 is formed with annular grooves accommodating concentric control rings 29, to respective one of which the needle blocks are keyed as at 30. Each needle block is secured to a separate control ring 29 and is independently controllable.

Each control ring 29 and the associated needle block 22 can be independently moved angularly of the cylinder and dial from the main control position of the machine by means of a rack and locator mechanism (not shown) mounted in a position on the circumference of bearer 23 which is outside the limits of circumferential traverse of the needle blocks 22.

Auxiliary needle 28 is shown co-operating with dial needle 19 to form parallel Wale knitting on the front face of the fabric in positions determined by the angular positions of the needle blocks relatively to the cylinder and dial. By moving the needle blocks angularly relatively to the latter during knitting the parallel wales can extend at an angle to the needle wales of the main bed fabric.

The group of cylinder needles 17 which lie under the group of additional needles 28 have transferred their loops to adjacent dial needles 19. Thus needle 17 is in the inoperative position.

Referring now to FIG. 4, this shows a cylinder and dial non-stitch transfer machine, similar to that shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, except the that the needle blocks are inside the needle cylinder. Thus, the machine comprises a stationary needle cylinder 31 equipped with a located complement of needles 32. Those located in alternate tricks, in sections of the cylinder which lie in the orbital path of needle blocks being in out of action positions. These needles have operating butts 32a. A stationary dial 33 is equipped with a full complement of needles 34 having operating butts 34a. Cylinder cam box 35 and dial cam plate 36 are revolvable together relatively to the cylinder and dial.

Cam boxes 35 are carried by revolvable bearers 37. Located within the same tricks as and below needles 32 are special racking jacks 38, having selector butts 38a and operating butts 38b. Needle selecting mechanism, indicated diagrammatically at 39, can act upon butts 38a whilst jack raising cams (not shown) can act upon butts 381). When jacks 38 are in the position shown, i.e. in which butt 38b protrudes radially out of the cylinder tricks the jack raising cam lifts the jack so that the knitting butt 32a on needle 32 is engaged by a cam 40 in cam box 35 whereby the needle is raised into a knitting cam track and is knitted.

In accordance with the invention four needle blocks, one of which is indicated at 41, are provided within the needle cylinder. The needle blocks are mounted upon an annular bearer 42 rigidly mounted within the cylinder. The inter and outer circumferential edge portions at the top and bottom of the bearer 42 are flanged at 42a for engagement in grooves formed in the needle blocks which are slidable upon the bearer relatively to the cylinder. The needle blocks are tricked to receive a small number of additional needles 43 which can co-operate with either the dial needles and/ or the cylinder needles. The needles are arranged as a half complement, i.e. are spaced apart at same pitch as adjacent cylinder needles which are operational (e.g. every other needle) but are aligned intermediately of them. Each of the needles 43 is of compound form comprising a main part 44 having an operating butt 44a and a relatively slidable non-swinging element 45 having an operating butt 45a and suitably movable to open and close the hook of the needle at relevant times. One or more cam boxes 46 having cams 47, 48 for operating upon the butts 44a, 45a is rotatable in timed relation with the main cam boxes. The cam boxes 46 are fixed to a common carrier ring 49 which is rotatable within the lower end of the cylinder and is provided with teeth 49a arranged to mesh with a toothed pinion (not shown) upon a drive shaft. The ring 49 is rotatable in bearer 50 secured within cylinder 31.

In order to move the needle blocks 41 angularly relatively to the cylinder and dial the inner face of bearer 42 is formed with annular grooves accommodating concentric control rings 51, to respective ones of which the needle blocks are keyed as at 52. Each needle block is secured to a separate control ring 51. The rings can be independently moved angularly by means of mechanism similar to that described with reference to FIG. 1-3. This control mechanism is sited in a position circumferentially outsde the paths traversed by the needle blocks and passes through channels formed in the bearer 42 and ring 50 as indicated by chain dotted lines A.

The machine of this example may be additionally equipped with interlocks 53 which are associated with respective needles and function to ensure that when needles 43 are caused to knit the adjacent needles 32 are prohibited from knitting. The interlocks are located in slots cut in bearer 42. The interlocks are pivotally mounted and at one end engage hook portions 380 on the jacks 38, so that when one end is lifted by shoulder 44b on needle 44 by a slight lifting action of an advance cam on the needle block cam system acting on butt 44a the interlock draws the relevant jack 38 and prevents butt 3811 from being lifted by the jack raising cam, whereby associated cylinder needle 32 is not raised to a knitting position.

A needle selecting mechanism (not shown) is provided for selecting additional needles 43 to tuck or to knit. This mechanism acts through selector fingers 54 which bear on the ends of needles 43 and when caused to move upwards by the selecting mechanism bearing on butts 54a and/or 54b the relevant needles 43 are lifted so that butts 44a and 45a are raised sufliciently to be operable by cams 47, 48.

In cases, for instance, in kniting jacquard fabrics, where additional needles 43 are required to knit alternatively with the equivalent number of needles 32 so that when needles 43 knit needles 32 hold their loops and vice versa. The interlocks cause the equivalent number of cylinder needles to knit and not knit alternatively when alternative selections are applied to needles 43. In other cases, the interlocks could be omitted. For example, where jacquarding is not required or where additional needles 43 knit between needles 32 and in conjunction with both dial needles 34 and needles 32. In this case, the parallel Wale knitting produced by the needles 43 lies on the front face of the double fabric produced by the needles 34 produced in conjunction with needles 32. In the later case the half complement of cylinder needles 32 together with the half complement of additional needles 43 together form a full complement of needles for knitting in conjunction with the full complement of needles in the dial.

No limit is implied in respect of particular needle arrangements and operation.

The additional needles in each needle block are capable of being brought into and out of action.

In a more sophisticated version of the machine shown in FIG. 4 needle beds on the outside of the cylinder, as in the machine shown in FIG. 2, may be added so that there are needle blocks on both sides of the cylinder, which in suitable cases may also cooperate one with the other.

Referring now to FIG. 5, this shows a cylinder and dial machine, similar to that shown in 'FIGS. 2 and 3, but equipped with two sets of needle blocks in different paths, the needle blocks of one set being movable into the path of the needle block of the other set. Thus, the machine comprises a stationary needle cylinder 53 equipped with needles 54, e.g. of latch type. These needles have operating butts 54a. A stationary dial 55 is equipped with a full complement of needles 56, e.g. of latch type having operating butts 56a. Cylinder cam box 57 and dial cam plate 58 are revolvable together relatively to the cylinder and dial. Located within the same tricks as and below the needles 54 are jacks 59 selectively operated by selecting mechanism indicated in chain dotted lines at 60.

In accordance with the invention two annular bearers 

1. A CIRCULAR WEFT KNITTING MACHINE COMPRISING UPPER AND LOWER STATIONARY SUPERIMPOSED NEEDLE CYLINDERS FORMED WITH TRICKS, A SINGLE SET OF DOUBLE ENDED LATCH NEEDLES LOCATED IN THE TRICKS OF SAID CYLINDERS, A SET OF SLIDERS IN THE TRICKS OF SAID CYLINDERS AND FORMED WITH BUTTS, ROTATABLE MAIN CAM SYSTEMS FOR ACTION UPON THE BUTTS OF SAID SLIDERS, AT LEAST ONE YARN FEEDER, AN ANNULAR BEARER RIGIDLY SECURED CONCENTRICALLY WITHIN SAID LOWER CYLINDER AND HAVING AN INCLINED FACE FORMED WITH ANNULAR GROOVES, AT LEAST ONE CONTROL RING IN SAID GROOVE, AT LEAST ONE NEEDLE BLOCK FORMED WITH TRICKS MOUNTED ON SAID FACE OF SAID BEARER AND SLIDABLE THEREALONG, MEANS SECURING SAID BLOCK TO SAID CONTROL RING, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID 